Shut-off system for conduits.



I. GILLEN. SHUT-OFP SYSTEM POR CONDUITE. APPLICATION FILED AUG-.24, 1912.

1,0?2,9S8. 'atented Septfw..

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

W/TIVESSES y [NVE/WUR N j m Isabella Glen vZ'If desired, l may also arrange its arms out of contact with the inner ends of the metallic binding posts 25, shown in- 'ner ends of the binding posts 25 -for ally normal temperatures.

The manner of operation of my improved.

system is as follovs: For normal temperatures the conductor 26 Will be suspended out of Contact with the inner ends of the binding posts 25, and the circuit through the magnet 18 will be opened. Consequently, the armature 19, which is set by hand so as to move its lower end into engagement With the fusible metal block 20, will hold the arm 13 against the tension of the spring 15 and keep the valve 5 opened to permit a free fiow of gas through' the pipe 2. As soon, however, as a fire breaks out on one of the doors or in one ot the rooms of the building, the

heat due to the flames will causethe strip 27.

to expand. As a result, the conducting member Q6 will be `lowered to close the cir-l cuit across the main lead T. The magnet 18 will new be actuated, the armature 19 at# The spring danger' due to the presence of gas in the burning building and the possibility of damage arising therefrom can be appreciated by any one.

It will be seen that inthe fusible block 20 an vadditional safeguard is provided. As

i soon Aas the heat becomes suliicieutly intense this block will melt and allow the valve to close under the action of the spring lavhethcr the arn'latnre yis' drawn in by the magnet' 18 or not. llence if. for auy'reason, all of' the circuit closers on the different. ioors of the building should fail to operate, supposing the re should break out on one of the up per Hooi-s, the block 2O when sufficiently heated will release the spring and cause the valve to close before the heat can become intense enough to melt the pipes and give rise to the danger mentioned. This, however', is an unlikely case, as one or more of the cir- ,eui-tkclosers shown at 9 will be sure to operatein any event as soon as the flames raise tlre temperature of the building a 'few degrecs above normal. a hand switch incach apartincntor room to enable thejoccupants to close the circuit. tluougli the magnet a moment a lire is discovered, so as not to make the safety of the building enf tirely dependent on the action of the automatic circuit closers '26. Such a switch is shown vdiagrammatically at 29, bridged across the main leads 7. It may be in the form of a push button switch if preferred. On the lowest door this switch may be .lo-

Acated near the main entrance, so that it can be operated by the firemen as soon as the `lat.- ter gain access to the building.

I Wish to have it understood that my system' is not'necessarily restricted to pipes or the like, but may be applied to almost any conduit that is led into a building, Whether used for business or residential purposes, and I desire to have it understood fine ther that the above drawings and. description are illustrative only, and that I do not care to be limited to the exact details shown or described, butreserve t'o myself'the right to make such`v changes in the shape, size and arrangement of the parts. as fairly fall Within the scope and'spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a system of the kind described, the combination of a conduit having a. valve therein, uprights supported by the conduit on opposite sides of the valve, a bridge connecting the upper ends of said uprights together, said bridge supporting an. electromagnet and a ypivoted armature thereon, means 4for engaging said valveand tending to turn the same to closed position, said' means being normally engaged by said arma` ture to hold the valve open, and means sus ceptible to'the action of heat for closing `a armature and allow the valve to move to close the conduit.

2. The. combination of a yconduit having a valve therein, uprights supported bythe conduit on either side of the valve, a. bridge connecting the upper ends of' the uprights together, the said bridge having a ill-shaped end, a magnet and a movable armature oarried by said U-shaped end, means for engaging said valve and moving the same to closed position, said means being normally engaged y by the armature to hold the valve open, and means susceptible to the action of heat for closing the circuit through-said magnet to withdraw the armature and allow the valve to be moved to close the conduit.

gether, said bridge having a U-shaped end,`

a magnet and a movable arn'iatnreA carried by said @shaped end, means for engaging the valve and turning the sante, said means being normally engaged by thearmature to circuit through said magnet to Withdraw the j Lec/#mese hold the Valve open, a plate having a notched end caried on the end of one cf the uprights to engage the armature and prevent lateral "ture and aHoW Jche valve to move to close the circuit..

In testimony'whereof I have signed my name to this specification inl the presence of 1u two subscribing witnesses. f

SABELLA GLLEN. Witnesses:

P. J. HARRISON, A`Wlnmfuuffz A. JUCH. 

